He’s a best-selling author, STEM educator and television personality who finds the most creative ways to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
He’s the guy who’s responsible for sharing YouTube’s first viral science video teaching people how to drop those little Mentos into a bottle of Diet Coke. Today, his videos on social media have more than 1 billion views (that’s with a “b”).
For the past 25 years, his books and online experiments have been widely used by parents and educators to increase student engagement and inspire young scientists to learn more about STEM-based careers.
With more than 1,600 television appearances and multiple Emmy awards to his credit, he’s also a regular guest on the Ellen DeGeneres Show where she calls him… the science teacher you always wanted to have in school… because the fire department shows up twice a year.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Steve Spangler.
There is no one single factor that influences the success of the presentation more than the set-up of the room. Steve and his support team are experts in helping you finalize a room layout that accommodates his high level of audience engagement.
SET-UP TIME – Steve needs to have at least 30 minutes away from the audience to set his materials and demonstrations. Someone from Steve’s team will be on hand to help distribute materials on tables or under chairs if Steve is doing a hands-on activity with the audience. This will be discussed in more detail after the program is booked.
SEATING – The distance from the first row of seats or tables to the stage (performing area) should be as small as possible. Speakers often joke about Death Valley – the greater the valley between the stage and the front row, the greater the likelihood the presentation is going to die. When possible, please keep Steve as close to the audience as possible.
STAGE / RISER – The ideal stage/riser height for audiences of up to 200 people is 6 to 12 inches, and for larger audiences, a riser of 12 to 24 inches is appropriate. A stage or raised platform is only important if you want your audience to see, engage and benefit from Steve’s message!
ROOM SET-UP – A wide room set-up is vastly superior to a long room set-up. In other words, in a rectangular meeting room, place your stage in the middle of the long wall so the audience is evenly divided between left and right.
TABLE ON STAGE – Please have a standard folding table (2×6) or something a little smaller on stage for Steve to set his props and demonstrations. Drape the table to make the stage look great. If a waiter stand and tray are available at the venue, please set it next to the table.
LIGHTS – It’s important to aim as much light on the stage as possible. If the venue is a hotel, check to make sure the lights over the stage area are working… and bright. If the room has theater spotlights or any type of stage lights, please aim them to cover the entire stage.
NO NEED FOR A PODIUM – Steve will not use a podium during any part of the presentation. If other speakers are using a podium, please position it on either the right or left side of the stage.
